The Congress party is facing criticism as its national spokesperson, Shama Mohamed, expressed frustration over the low number of women candidates receiving tickets for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections on April 9. Shama highlighted the disparity in ticket distribution, urging Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to address the issue and provide more opportunities for women in Kerala. Out of the 92 seats the party will contest in the 140-member Kerala Assembly, only 9 tickets were given to women candidates.
Shama’s remarks have raised concerns within the party following the release of the final list of candidates for 37 constituencies in Kerala. This situation comes after she previously courted controversy for comments made about cricketer Rohit Sharma, which led to public backlash and party reprimand. Shama, a dentist by profession, has been vocal about gender representation issues and has called for fair opportunities for women in politics.
The Congress party had to distance itself from Shama’s previous controversial statements, including remarks about cricketer Gautam Gambhir, which were perceived as religiously biased. Her comments on the omission of Sarfaraz Khan from the India ‘A’ squad sparked a political and social media backlash, with some condemning her remarks as divisive and anti-national. The controversy surrounding Shama’s statements has once again put the party in a challenging position.
